


Leech

by Doceo_Percepto



Series: Leech [1]
Category: Kirby - All Media Types
Genre: Cannibalism, M/M, Marx ruins things, Meandering Narrative, consent is questionable, now with some Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-16 18:10:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11258205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doceo_Percepto/pseuds/Doceo_Percepto
Summary: When deadly nightmares begin to encroach on the peaceful village Dreamland, Kirby leaves the borders to find a solution. But he brings a monster back with him.[AUish, a mix between the games and the anime, and Dreamland is effectively Pupupuland. Characters are gijinka/humanized. For those familiar with the version on FFN, this is actually a rewrite that, once finished, will replace the version on FFN.]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Español available: [Leech](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11322633) by [Balderouge](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Balderouge/pseuds/Balderouge), [Doceo_Percepto](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doceo_Percepto/pseuds/Doceo_Percepto)



> A great deal of thanks to the beautiful warpy, who is an inspiration to many of my works, and who produces magnificent art and ideas for Leech/Lethe that I am endlessly grateful for.
> 
> Thanks also to Balderouge, who has kindly taken up the daunting task of translating both Leech and Lethe in their entireties into Spanish. 
> 
> Finally, thanks to kitzykat: she is an invaluable friend to me, and always listens to understand.

Everyone knew it was not safe to cross the borders of their peaceful town, for Dreamland housed the legendary Star Rod, which protected the villagers from nightmares and demons. However, its protection extended no further than their borders. This is why the villagers never, ever left the borders of Dreamland.

Some too curious children had questioned this law. They looked out to the horizon, thinking to themselves that the outside world did not appear so much different than their own home. Peaceful valleys, green forests, and clear blue skies were tempting, not threatening, and inspired curiosity rather than fear. But those children that left never did return home, and no one dared to venture after them. To leave the borders was to die.

Only one person truly knew of the outside world. He would have been bombarded with questions, had his aura not been half so intimidating. A deep purple cape shrouded his figure, and his face hid beneath a cold metal mask. Only his slit-like yellowish eyes glinted through the mask’s V-cut, and those eyes had a habit of glaring as though reading your soul and finding it lacking.

His arrival happened sixteen years previous, when he stalked through the gates like an unholy storm, seemingly driven by some unknown destiny for a purpose beyond their knowledge. He carried a small pink bundle with him, and advanced upon the castle like a man possessed.

It would be days before the villagers learned of the circumstances that then transpired: the man entered the castle and demanded a position as knight, which was promptly given to him: even the gluttonous king couldn't deny it would be much better to have such a person as an ally rather than an enemy.

And for sixteen years, he uttered not a word of the outside world. Few dared speak to him at all, and those that did rapidly learned it was a topic he preferred to ignore. Even the child he had brought with him remained frustratingly oblivious, until deadly nightmares began to encroach upon their peaceful village….

 

A harsh cry rang through the hallways of the castle, long after the sun fell but long before it would rise. When the cry sounded a second time, Fumu snapped awake. She sat up in bed, trying to rub the sleep from her green eyes. In the adjoining rooms, she could hear the unmistakable shuffling of her family members rising.

Thankfully, there was no movement from the bed against the opposite wall. The only sign of her brother was the bluish green tips of his messy hair sticking out from a bundle of blankets. Good - he needn't lose any more sleep over this.

Fumu hurried over to her dresser and picked out a simple band to tie up her own long dirty blonde hair. No time for neatly combing it back, or changing from her baggy pink pajamas.

She quietly closed the door behind her and tiptoed to the living room, where both her parents were already waiting. They looked just as exhausted.  
"Do you know who is it?" Fumu implored. The Cabinet Minister and Memu shook their heads in response, and all three slipped out into the castle hallway.  


The unnatural, terrified shriek was not repeated, and they found themselves standing cluelessly in the dark hallway without any idea where it had originated.  


"Oh, this is so worrisome," Memu stressed. "It could be anyone, and we don't know!"

Parm added unhelpfully, "I think it came from the left... or maybe it was the right..."

"We can't see anything this darkness. King Dedede does need to turn on some lights," said Memu anxiously.

"Hmm..." Fumu took a step forward, when two glowing eyes appeared in front of her. She yelped and jumped back. "S-Sir Meta Knight!"

"My apologies, Fumu-san," he replied smoothly. "I take it you heard the cry?"

"Yes, do you know-?"

"I suspect it is Captain Doo. Hurry; we must get there quickly." He spun on his heel and stalked down the hallway, cape fluttering after him.

Fumu hastened after him, knowing that if she fell behind he would not be likely to wait for her, and with the hallways so dark, she certainly didn't want to get lost.

She faithfully followed the sound of his footsteps and his rippling cape, checking backwards frequently to make sure her parents kept pace.

Dim light filtered into the darkness as they approached a lit portion of the hallway - the servant's quarters. A new, hideously distorted scream rent the air. The chilling sound could be felt in one's bones, and it made Fumu shudder. The scream gradually tapered off to a choked whimper. Over their footsteps, Fumu heard the panicked voices of the castle’s servants.

Meta Knight rounded another corner, and the scene opened up to them. Perhaps hundreds of the servants were gathered in the hallways, crowding into each other, whispering, and adding to the general chaos. By requirement, they all wore simple faded orange pajamas that were often too big for them. Packed so closely together, they made a sea of orange.

"Clear a path!" Meta Knight's deep voice commanded over the servants. They jumped and muttered, but recognizing the knight's voice, backed away without question. With their backs pressed tightly against the wall, it was an easier matter to push through them and enter Captain Doo's room.

Fumu skirted around Meta Knight to peer into the room. Meanwhile, her parents went about the business of calming the nervous servants in the hall.  


The Captain himself lay in his bed, drenched in so much sweat that his dark brown hair was slicked to his forehead. Though his eyes were clenched shut, Fumu could still see how rapidly they moved underneath his eyelids. Two faithful servants were at his side, trying to hold down his arms.

Their efforts were hardly successful, as he thrashed and moaned and fought their grips wildly. As if something wholly demonic and monstrous had taken command of his limbs, he expended all his energy to blindly fight off his own comrades.

Meta Knight swept up to his bedside, shooing the young servants away. Immediately Captain Doo let out another hideous, wrenching scream. The knight seized his shoulders and shook him roughly. "Captain! Captain, wake up!"

"Ah, don't hurt him," Fumu squeaked.

Teeth clenched, Doo blindly clenched his fingers around Meta Knight's wrists and dug his nails in deep.

Only by twisting his wrists could Meta Knight free himself, and then Captain Doo clawed at the air like a possessed animal.

Meta Knight drew back, glaring at the amassed servants with his fierce yellow eyes. "Bring me a bucket of water."

A few made small 'eep!" noises and scurried around the room in befuddlement before Meta Knight barked, "Now!"

They bolted from the room. It was all Meta Knight could do to hold down Captain Doo while they waited for water. Several times Meta Knight made attempts to wake up the captain, between calling out to him and shaking his shoulders. Nothing was successful.

After what seemed like hours, but truly only had been a minute or two, a servant rushed back in again. In his hands was a metal bucket so full of water that some had splashed down his front.

Meta Knight immediately seized the bucket and threw the water over the captain's face. It soaked his bedspread, clothes, and hair. For a single moment, those in the room thought that it had worked. His desperate thrashing stilled as his mind retreated from the nightmare. 

But his tense muscles never relaxed, and his eyes never opened. His face possessed the pallor of death. Their fear only mounted upon realizing he would not wake.

Then Meta Knight growled under his breath. He raised one white-gloved hand and brought it sharply across Captain Doo's cheek, causing most of the other servants to jump in astonishment.

The captain's startled caramel-colored eyes at last snapped open. Like a marionette had released his bindings, Doo relaxed and lowered his hands. Slowly, he looked around the room and observed those watching him, quickly putting together the scene. Breathing out in relief and exhaustion, he leaned against the headboard. Color swiftly returned to his pale cheeks.

"Is there any chance you can remember what it was you were dreaming about?" Meta Knight pressed immediately, studying Doo with an inhuman intensity.  


"A nightmare," Doo corrected, his voice hoarse from screaming. "Not a dream."

Instantly, a fellow servant drew close to him and muttered under his breath to his captain. Fumu watched this exchange with great curiosity, for despite the fact she lived in the castle, she still knew very little about the servants' enigmatic ways. They were short, pale and thin, always with large caramel eyes and messy hair. Their matching clothes made it impossible to tell them apart, and they never spoke English. Communicating solely with their leader, one never knew exactly what they were thinking or saying.

Captain Doo, however, understood the others' speech without a problem. In response to the servant, he nodded and smiled gratefully. "Y-yes, please."  


The servant nodded and darted out of the room, brushing past Fumu without a glance.

"A nightmare, then," Meta Knight corrected.

"Of my comrades," Captain Doo confessed. "It was my duty to protect them from some unknown danger, but..." he shuddered again.

"If it is any assurance, I know you would never fail them in life."

Another servant swept past Fumu again, holding a cup of water. They had an unnatural ability to be extraordinarily quick when ordered by Doo. He carried it to Captain Doo's side and offered it.

"Ah, thank you." Doo accepted the cup and drank like a man dying of thirst. He handed it back empty, and the servant rushed off to fill it again. His eyes curved up to Meta Knight. "And thank you, sir. I owe my life to you."

Meta Knight gave a small nod and withdrew from the other's bedside, allowing the other servants to crowd up again and express worry for their leader. He slipped to the back of the room.

"This is the third this week," Fumu uttered. It had started a few months ago - around midnight, a villager had screamed out as though tortured. When others tried to wake them, the villager remained trapped in their nightmare. It was growing increasingly difficult to wake the sleepers, and the occurrences were becoming more and more frequent. Those that suffered from the nightmares recollected themselves reliving whatever they were most afraid of. Last week, a villager had died while writhing in the throes of the nightmare, and paranoia and fear mounted in Dreamland.

"Something must be done," replied Meta Knight calmly, though his appearance should've suggested the opposite. Though he had clearly changed into his usual outfit before coming, the left shoulder plate was slightly crooked. His black hair, usually immaculately knotted back, was now falling loosely over his mask and sticking up in various places. The dark tips just barely brushed over the slit in his mask. His cape hung down in a tired manner, matching his somewhat slumped shoulders - though as soon as Fumu thought this, she dismissed the thought. It was just a cape, and couldn't reflect his own tiredness.

"But what can we do?" said Fumu.

Meta Knight didn't reply immediately, appearing lost in thought. These pauses were something Fumu had grown used to - if he didn't immediately have a sufficient answer, he tended to not reply at all until one was found. She fiddled with the tips of her hair impatiently. "I just wish we knew what was causing these nightmares."

"Hm."

Fumu eyed him thoughtfully. "Unless... you have some idea?"

His regard flicked to the room behind him. The servants were still occupied over their leader - others were far too distracted to be noticing their conversation. In the hall, Memu and Parm were guiding more servants back to their rooms. His cleared his throat and murmured, "I believe the protection Dreamland has grown to rely upon is faltering. The Star Rod is not keeping us safe from the nightmares."

Horror overtook Fumu's expression. "The Star Rod isn't working anymore?"

"It still works, though barely - for how long, I cannot say. Until we find out more about the source of this change, we need to delay the effects for as long as possible."

He had perhaps just said the most frightening thing Fumu had ever heard, for she had grown up knowing the same rule as the other children - the Star Rod kept them safe and alive, so long as you stayed within the borders. Yet he delivered the news in much the same way he would order at Kawaski's restaurant.  


Though shocked, she felt foolish 'overreacting' in front of him like she wanted to. Instead, she tried to imitate his nonchalant attitude. "Y-you're right. So, what will we do?"

“I must research the matter further. For now, it would be best that you rest.”

“But I can help!” Fumu pressed. “If you directed me to which books might be helpful, if-“

“No.” He fixed his eerie glare upon her sternly. “Do not go looking into this matter. Sleep, Fumu. We will talk again.”

At this, he turned and swept from the room.


	2. Chapter 2

“Yeah, so, of course he told me not to research into it, but honestly, I can’t believe he would think that I’d just let it go.” Fumu rolled her eyes as she replaced another book to the shelf. “He’s not the only person who can do research here.”

Her and Kirby were in the basement of the castle, in the little used and little known library. Fumu had just finished recounting Captain’s Doo nightmare and the fiasco that the previous night had been. 

“I mean, I agree!” Kirby darted a glance towards the door. “I feel kind of guilty about going behind Meta Knight’s back, but this is really important stuff. If we can help at all, we should.”

“Kirby, you don’t even like reading,” Fumu sighed, and Kirby winced at the motherly tone she was so fond of adapting.

“So?” Kirby said, a tad defensively. “If it means saving people’s lives, I’m ready to read even the most boring textbook. It’s not like I can’t read.”

“Thanks to me,” Fumu giggled.

That stung a little. But she wasn’t wrong. Kids in Dreamland weren’t often taught to read or write. Kirby would never have learned without Fumu, who in her youth snuck off after her own lessons to instruct Kirby.

“Well, let me carry some of the weight,” Kirby pleaded. “I want to help.”

Fumu tapped her lips thoughtfully. “Well, I would – but honestly, I don’t even know where to begin myself. I’ve been here all morning, and haven’t found anything useful.” 

“Maybe there’s a way to stop nightmares. Like a dreamcatcher or something?”

“I already looked into that idea….” Fumu ran her fingers along the book spines. “I thought about dreamcatchers, or some kind of potion or herb that could stop nightmares. But there’s nothing – nothing on that.”

“Huh, okay… what about something that stops you from having to sleep?”

“That’s silly, Kirby. People need sleep to live.” She turned to him, an excited light in her eyes, “actually, there’s this cycle called the circadian rhythm. I read about it recently; it’s a cycle that ties in all kinds of physiological signals – in essence, it helps us to regulate our eating and sleeping patterns. If we interrupt that cycle, it can really wreak havoc on our bodies.” 

“Yeah, but…. People’s sleep is already getting messed up,” Kirby pointed out. 

Fumu put her hands on her hips. “They’re still sleeping, though. I just don’t think that keeping the villagers awake all the time is the right solution.”

“Mm.” Kirby lowered his chin to the desk and watched Fumu as she returned to the shelves. He wracked his brain for other ideas. 

“I just don’t know what to do,” Fumu said over her shoulder, “I mean, Mr. Tobita was killed last week. From just a nightmare. It’s…” She went still. “It’s not like anything we’ve seen. I… don’t know what to do. Last night, I was so worried about Captain Doo….”

Kirby’s eyes widened. “Look, w-we’ll find a solution, there must be something….”

Fumu shook her head. “Of course. We have to stay positive.” She cast a knowing look over her shoulder. “Kirby, weren’t you supposed to help Mrs. Tani with her flowers today?”

“Oh, crap!” Kirby thunked his forehead with his palm. “I was supposed to meet her this morning! She’s gotta be looking for me-“

“I have everything covered here, Kirby. I’ll find a solution, don’t worry.” 

“Thank you – I’ll be back after, Fumu – I can help, too!” 

Kirby bolted from the library and raced up the stairs into Dedede’s castle.

It was this garishly large castle that squatted at the highest point of Dreamland. This is where King Dedede lived, along with his snarky assistant Escargon, and anyone employed at the castle, like Meta Knight, the castle servants, and Fumu’s parents. The library, meanwhile, was buried in the basement of the castle, and very much neglected by anyone except Fumu and Meta Knight (and sometimes Kirby).

The rest of Dreamland, meanwhile, lay mostly on low rolling hills or flat grasslands. The bulk of the villagers lived in a broad plain shadowed by the castle; each home was modest and simple, but very often richly decorated with flowers and grasses, for the villagers shared pride in their town’s natural foliage. 

As Kirby jogged away from the castle, the plain sprawled below in a hazy golden light. Each tiny house had a lace ring around of it of rich greens and yellows and reds.

Year round, Dreamland never failed to be appealing to the eye. 

Kirby quickly rushed up to Mrs. Tani’s particular garden, and apologized as he neared. “Sorry I was so late, Mrs. Tani! I got caught up in the library.”

Mrs. Tani, a plump lady whose six children were now all grown and moved into their own houses, put her hands on her hips and surveyed Kirby worriedly. “The library?” She shook her head. “You’ll get silly ideas in your head, like Fuma.”

“Fumu.”

“Right, of course. I’ve already started work, but I’ll need you for the heavy lifting. Get those daisies, will you? They’ll get more sun on the east side of my home…”

Kirby obediently grabbed the soil-rich box of pearl-white daisies. “We’re researching how to fix the nightmares people keep having. There are books that talk about cures to other kinds of sicknesses, so maybe they have something that can cure what’s been happening lately.”

Her expression darkened marginally. “It’s all nonsense. You know why we’re really getting the nightmares, don’t you? Set the box down there, dear, thank you.”

“Why are we getting them?” 

She wagged her finger. “Curiosity! Haven’t you noticed the pattern, Kirby?”

“I don’t know what you mean…”

“First Curio – and that man is the most prying of all of us. He spends half his time snooping along the border of our town, sticking his nose in strange business that isn’t ours to know.”

“He’s just curious about the outside world,” Kirby said softly.

“And that’s the problem right there! So of course he gets afflicted first! And the most recent incident, with Captain Doo – don’t think I didn’t hear about that! No doubt he has strange habits we don’t know about. Locked up in that castle, stars know what can go wrong with a person’s brain…. What I’m saying is, it’s bad business to wonder about the outside world. These nightmares were never a bother when everyone minded their own business. The violets, Kirby, the violets – not the peonies, those are going on the other side.”

Kirby grabbed the appropriate box and followed her as she scooped up her gardening tools and guided him to the new flower bed. 

“All I’m saying is, be careful.” She gave him a gentle, motherly look. “Keep away from that library, and don’t look to the borders too much. The most I can do is keep you safe.”

“I don’t need protection, Mrs. Tani. I’ve got all my training from Meta Knight, and I don’t think the books will hurt me.” 

“Well, all right,” she said, in the sort of way that meant she didn’t believe him whatsoever. “Come over here and help me get these violets in, would you? My old knees don’t like me when I do that…”

“Yes, ma’am.” As Kirby created little indents in the soil for the new plants, Mrs. Tani rattled on about superstition and the dangers of the borders. Kirby was silent, but yet again, he found his thoughts unsettled.

Always the villagers warned against stepping outside of Dreamland – the outside, they agreed, housed demons and monsters far more horrifying than one could ever imagine. 

That was simple enough to understand and follow, especially since some children had crossed the border, and had never returned (consumed by demons, the villagers mournfully agreed). 

What _didn’t_ make sense was the fact that Kirby himself had come from across the border. Not that he remembered that time: he had been nothing more than an infant when Meta Knight (according to the stories he was told) carried him into Dreamland from the outside world.

If the place outside Dreamland’s borders was full of nothing but demons and monsters, then…. How could Meta Knight and Kirby have come from such a place? What was really out there?

Of course, the one person who absolutely should know the answer to that was Meta Knight…. But the surly knight never shared a single shard of information about it to Kirby or any of the other Dreamlanders. He silently agreed with the narrative the villagers provided, and instructed Kirby never to leave the borders.

Kirby used to beg for stories, and plead to know what his true origin was (Fumu had the Parm Minister and Memu – but who were Kirby’s parents?) but on this subject, as with many others, Meta Knight was eternally silent. In time, Kirby stopped asking.

But he never stopped wondering. 

Even now, his eyes wandered to the distant, unmarked border that began right before the forest did, and he _wondered._

“Where are you staring?”

“No where,” Kirby said hastily. 

“No where,” she grumbled, crossing her arms. “It’s the border, isn’t it?”

Kirby sighed.

“That’s a one way ticket to your grave,” Mrs. Tani warned. “All your life you’ve looked to that border, Kirby. Some day you need to look at the beautiful village around you. Settle in.”

“Yes, Mrs. Tani.”

“Kirby! Watch what you’re doing! You nearly tore the root from that flower!”

“S-sorry…” 

“You’ve been distracted all morning,” Mrs. Tani huffed disapprovingly. “Why don’t you run along? I can finish up these sprouts on my own.”

“A-are you sure? I can help you out –“

“Oh, go on. You already did the heavy lifting for me, Kirby. I’ll manage these last few flowers.”

“If you’re sure…” 

“Absolutely. Oh – here – you want something in return, don’t you?”

“Really, it’s okay –“

She dug in her pocket and withdrew three wrapped candies, dropping them into Kirby’s outstretched hand.

“Oh, thanks,” Kirby stared down at the candies that he was embarrassed to still love. Mrs. Tani gave them out to all the village kids when they helped her. When she gave them to Kirby, it was a subsequent reminder that she – and all the other villagers – saw him as little else than a kid.

Kirby exhaled. Meta Knight treated him like an adult; the villagers treated him like a kid. Wasn’t there some in between?

There were of course, more important things than complaining about how everyone treated him when he should just be grateful. For starters, he should check back in on Fumu. Maybe she’d found some cure to the nightmares.

“Hey Fumu?” Kirby trotted down the rickety library steps and swung his gaze around. “Fumu?”

No response. He peered through the shelves. “Fumu? Hello? Fumu!”

“In the back, Kirby.”

Kirby meandered to the very back of the library, which was windowless and had little air circulation – it was often hotter back here, and smelled overwhelmingly like dusty book.

Fumu was perched on a stool, rifling through the very top shelf.

A small table behind her had another pile of tomes placed upon it. As Kirby neared, he saw one was open to a drawing of a five-petaled white flower.

“What’s this?” Kirby asked, and read, _The Narcao is a curious little perennial found in deep forested regions, possessing strange biological effects on the human body. If ingested in small quantities – a petal or two before bed – the plant will induce a restful, dreamless sleep. If ingested in larger quantities-_

“Oh i-it’s nothing, hold on –“ Juggling several books, Fumu awkwardly rushed to the table: Kirby grabbed the book before she could snag it.

“A plant that causes dreamless sleep?” Kirby said, “Fumu, you’ve found the answer!”

“No, it’s not –“ She shook her head, looking frazzled. “I’m sorry, Kirby, I meant to put that book away; give it here.”

“Wait, no – Fumu this is it! This is how we can cure the villagers!”

She sighed. “I know, I thought so too, Kirby, but it’s not an option.”

“Why not? This-“ _perennial found in deep forested regions_

“It can only be found outside the border,” Fumu confirmed sadly. 

If… if that was true, then someone _had_ been across the border, and _had_ returned to Dreamland. Kirby’s mind whirred. 

“It’s a very old book, and I’ve never heard of the author’s last name before. It may have just been speculative fiction,” Fumu said. “We’ll find another option, Kirby.”

“But this plant – Narcao – it’s exactly what we need.” And the very realistic depiction of it in the text, as well as its effects on the body, didn’t at all sound like speculation.

“It’s exactly what we can’t get,” Fumu replied, exasperated. “Give me the book, Kirby.”

“But what if we could get it? What if…. I went –“

“Absolutely not.”

“But Fumu, this says they’re found in forested regions – the forest is just outside of the border!”

“No. No.” She shook her head firmly. “You’re not suggesting that.”

“Fumu, someone died last week. If we keep waiting around for a perfect solution, then – then someone else might! You said it yourself – there’s nothing else in the library!”

“Nothing else _yet_.”

“ _This_ is something,” Kirby insisted, gesturing at the book. “If I just went to the forest for – I don’t know – an hour. Just an hour. And looked for this thing; I could come back with armfuls of it, and then –“

“You’re not going,” Fumu said sharply. “Kirby, this isn’t up for debate.”

“Why not? I’ll bring my sword; I’ll be safe!”

“No!” Fumu snatched the book from his arms. “You are still only a teenager-“

“And so are you –“

“And I’m not going, either. Nobody will be going. People disappear when they leave the border, Kirby – people die.”

She spun on her heel and marched the book away.

Kirby’s heart hammered in his ears, and he instantly felt guilty for inciting an argument that had upset Fumu. He was never an argumentative or confronting person, and he should have approached her in a more sympathetic manner.

At the same time… he had gotten so passionate about it because people were suffering from nightmares that could turn lethal – and a possible solution was just outside of Dreamland’s borders. Just within reach. If only he was brave enough to cross that invisible line.

And people had survived the outside world; it was hostile but survivable! There was this author, who had gone on to write a book about plants outside the border. There was Meta Knight of course, who had come from the outside world. Even Kirby himself came from the outside, even if he was then only an infant and now had no memory of it. 

Kirby chewed his lip, heart racing. 

If they waited…. Then someone else might be afflicted by a nightmare tonight. Someone else might die… 

“Ohh crap,” Kirby whispered and clutched his hair. Meta Knight had explicitly told him never to cross the border. He’d considered disobeying before, of course – he felt a pull to the outside world whenever he looked at the border. But there had never been any reason to go except his own selfish longing for it. 

Now… now there was one big green flashing reason that he should go. It wasn’t just for his own selfish purposes, but because this plant – the Narcao – it could save lives. 

Kirby’s eyes darted to Fumu’s back. She had returned to the shelves.

“H-hey Fumu?”

“Yes?”

“I…. I’m…” He gathered himself. “I’mgonnatakealunchbreak!”

“Huh?”

Kirby cleared his throat. “Um, I said, I’m gonna take a lunch break.”

“Go ahead. I had a snack earlier, so I think I’ll be good for another hour.”

Kirby sucked in a sharp breath. 

He…. was really going to do this, wasn’t he?


End file.
